All Roads Lead to Manila – Gilas Pilipinas Practice Day 3: Going Through The Motions

There was a
sense of mundanity in the third Gilas Pilipinas practice two nights ago at the
Ultra/Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

For one,
only eleven players were dressed for the session. Jeff Chan, still injured,
remained an observer. Alaska’s Sonny Thoss was sitting beside Chan, though
Sonny’s status as observer wasn’t really because of any injury (more on this
later). TNT’s Ryan Reyes, Jared Dillinger, and Kelly Williams were sitting this
one out, too, though they were also at courtside observing things. Once again,
Greg Slaughter was not present, though this could be because he was getting
ready for what would be NLEX’s fourth straight D-League title romp the following
day.

The
onlookers and scribes watching the drills were all quite mum. No big reactions,
really. There were the occasional oohs and aahs when Japeth Aguilar or Marcus
Douthit slammed one home with authority, but apart from those, there was hardly
any chatter or buzz.

The mood was
a little somber, which was in stark contrast to the atmosphere two weeks ago,
during Gilas’s first practice in this very same facility. Back then, the
excitement was evident. Everyone was all-smiles as the players trooped together
and energetically went about their drills.

Now, the
players, these cagers tagged with representing the country in the 2013 FIBA Asia
Championships in August, seemed to just go through the motions, weary from the
toils of the current Commissioner’s Cup.

This was
what permeated throughout most of the practice session. Apart from the
presentation of hand imprints, which served to commemorate Gilas’s 2012 Jones
Cup conquest, hardly anything novel happened.

Hans W. Pe presents Gilas Pilipinas with the handprints ofthe players who won the 2012 Jones Cup.(image from the Basketball TV Facebook page)

The whole
practice, in fact, ended way before the 10:00pm closing time. It was 9:15pm
when the players and coaches huddled for their customary battle cry of “PUSO!”
Shortly after, recovery meals were handed out to the participants, and a few of
the players said their goodbyes.

But what
could anybody really expect? This is the reality coach Chot Reyes has been
tasked to deal with. This is the sour truth of a national team practicing in
the middle of the pro season.

For one, players
are limited to being observers because of pro team interests (read: Thoss). There
is, however, no malice here, since pro teams are expected to protect and uphold
their respective interests, investments, and objectives. It’s just… a difficult
reality. Even if other teams don’t “protect” or “limit” their players’
involvements, sometimes, like in this evening, the players are forced to
inhibit themselves from participating.

Just a night
prior, the Tropang Texters battled the San Mig Coffee Mixers in a
hotly-contested game. SMC defeated the heavily-favored Texters, with returning
import Denzel Bowles putting up monster stats. I can only assume that game was
the reason some of the TNT players had to “skip” the drills. Perhaps they were
exhausted. Perhaps they were nursing minor injuries. Ryan Reyes, Dillinger, and
Williams all played at least 20 minutes in that game, often having to deal with
the physicality that goes with the territory when rival teams collide in the
PBA.

The players
who actually dressed and practiced were also not exempted from this reality.
Though they were participating in the drills, it was clear that the 11 “active”
guys weren’t really pushing the envelope. They know that, at least for now,
familiarizing themselves with coach Chot’s system would be the main task. No
hard bumps. No playoff fouls.

Going
through the motions.

Late in the
session, coach Chot had the guys practice the dribble-drive in a full-court
setting (they have been doing only half-court sets for the first two
practices). It was a thing of beauty to see five guys run such a free-flowing
offense. Passes were crisp. Cuts were brisk. Shots were on-target. All with a
15-second shot clock.

This was the
three-week old Gilas Pilipinas. They were learning despite the harsh realities
around them.

And learning
fast.

The
full-court drill lasted for barely 10 minutes, though. Coach Chot and his staff
knew better than to push these guys too much. They still had commitments to
their mother teams. A Commissioner’s Cup was still up for grabs. There were pro
expectations to be met. FIBA Asia was still about five months away.

There was
still time.

But, then again,
time might already be running out.

I’m sure
coach Chot is aware of how difficult it is to sharpen a group of pro players well
enough so they will be 110% ready for the FIBA Asia wars – more so with only 2
months of REAL and INTENSE practice.

It is far
from the ideal situation.

But it’s
reality, this phase of going through the motions.

And it will
have to do for now.

In about two
months, the Gilas boys will square off against their peers in the 2013 PBA
All-Star Weekend in Digos City, Davao del Sur. By then, the team should be more
cohesive, more ready.

Further down
the road, coach Chot expects the team to have its first, full-attendance,
full-intensity practice on May 25, which is well after the end of the Commish
Cup. Shortly after, the team is set to fly to Lithuania for some tune-up games,
then back here for an international invitational tourney, and then off to
Taipei to defend its Jones Cup crown.

Less than a
month later, the real tournament starts.

It’ll be a
long and tough grind ahead, and I’m certain coach Chot would relish having more
frequent and more intense practice sessions with his squad.

But, again,
these moments of “going through the motions” will suffice. These aren’t ideal
times, but these are the cards the team was dealt.

It will all
have to do.

In the final
huddle, right before they shout “PUSO,” Gary David goes to the center and
cracks everyone up with another one of his jokes. It’s a welcome respite from
the pressure everyone has to deal with.

Shortly after,
I begin to leave the Ultra. I step out of the media/players’ doorway and breathe
the evening air. The night is quiet. The stars are bright, hardly hidden by a few
gray clouds.

I see June
Mar Fajardo walk outside and give his recovery meal to his driver, who goes off
to get the car. June Mar sits beside the lady guard of the Ultra. It’s apparent
that the guard is on graveyard duty. She and June Mar don’t share any words,
but they share in the moment. Judging from
her countenance, it’s apparent this is not the ideal situation for her, too. Perhaps
somewhere she has a family waiting for her. Maybe a child asking for his/her
mother? But, just like June Mar, coach Chot, and the rest of Gilas, this is the
sour reality for the guard.

For now,
this mundanity, this quiet, this “going through the motions,” will have to do.